Often times politicians accept compliments with open arms. But sometimes, compliments handed out are less than ideal.

In opening day speeches from leadership Wednesday, both Democratic House Speaker Mark Ferrandino and Senate President Morgan Carroll offered compliments to their Republican colleagues who are running for higher office this year.

“Amy Stephens, an advocate on healthcare issues who had the political courage to work across the aisle to create Colorado’s healthcare exchange,” Ferrandino said of his colleague, Rep. Amy Stephens, a Republican from Monument.

Stephens, who is vying for the GOP nomination for U.S. Senate, sponsored a 2011 bill that set up the state’s healthcare exchange — a key pillar under the Affordable Care Act, also known as ObamaCare. Dubbed by some as “AmyCare,” Stephens’ Republican challengers for Senate — which include Weld County District Attorney Ken Buck and state Sens. Randy Baumgardner and Owen Hill — are certain to attack her for the sponsorship. Each hope to unseat Democratic U.S. Sen. Mark Udall in November.

The Colorado legislature opens today with two gay lawmakers — House Speaker Mark Ferrandino and Senate President Pro Tem Lucia Guzman — leading their chambers.

It marks the first time that any state legislature has had two gays in the top spots in both chambers, Ferrandino said. He didn’t even realize the milestone until his staff pointed it out to him last year when Guzman took over in the Senate.

She has been been in charge since Senate President John Morse was recalled last year in September. Guzman will relinquish the gavel today when Democrat Morgan Carroll is expected to be elected president.

“We have a history of making history in Colorado,” Ferrandino said. “We had a state that used to be controlled by the Ku Klux Klan and we had the first two African-Americans leading the legislature. We had a state that was the ‘hate state’ and we’re the first state that has (gay lawmakers) leading the legislature.”

House Speaker Mark Ferrandino on Friday laid out three objectives his caucus will address in the upcoming legislative session: the economy, strengthening Colorado’s education system and recovery from last year’s massive floods.

At least one of those objectives is likely to produce solid bipartisan support when his gavel sounds at 10 a.m. Wednesday to convene lawmakers.

“Flood recovery will be one of the first things we deal with in the legislative session,” said Ferrandino, a Denver Democrat, who briefed reporters alongside House Majority Leader Dickey Lee Hullinghorst, a Boulder Democrat. “Flood waters did not discriminate between Democrat and Republican counties. It’s something we should be doing together.”

A bipartisan flood committee has met on several occasions since the September floods and will present legislation that addresses infrastructure, how local jurisdictions can allocate cash to deal with disasters and tax relief for business and home owners.

September’s floods spanned 24 counties and killed 10 people. To date, millions of dollars in state and federal money has gone toward the disaster recovery.

On education, Ferrandino said despite the failure of Amendment 66 last November — a $950 million tax increase for public schools — consensus can be found on legislation that surrounds more transparency in regard to how public school districts spend money and English-language learners.

In a press briefing last week, Republican House Minority Leader Brian DelGrosso echoed similar sentiments, though he stressed this can be accomplished with current state money. By contrast, Ferrandino said Friday additional resources are needed.

The opportunity to testify remotely before legislative committees will be put to the test when lawmakers return to the Capitol next month — a move that will be the first of its kind in the state.

A pair of committee rooms inside the Capitol are now equipped with TVs capable of allowing people to offer testimony from locations all across Colorado.

Remote testimony could become an option at Capitol.

“This is important because during the session, with the heavy snow, it can be difficult for people to make it to the Capitol,” said House Speaker Mark Ferrandino, D-Denver. “With the advancement in technology and upgrades to the Capitol we can now make sure that on major legislation people from all corners of the state can have a chance to testify.”

State legislatures across the country are now allowing people to testify from locations far from committee hearing rooms. In Nevada, where the state Capitol is in Carson City, but the majority of the state’s population is six hours to the south in Las Vegas, it’s a common practice.

Sen. Ken Gordon arrived at the state Capitol in September 2005 carrying a sign showing his support for Referenda C and D. Proponents are walking from the Wyoming border to the New Mexico border to show their support for the ballot measures. (Karl Gehring, The Denver Post)

Three or four weeks ago, I called former Senate Majority Leader Ken Gordon to ask if he really planned to run for secretary of state, an exercise that led to a lengthy conversation about money in politics — he abhorred it — and how much journalism has changed since he served in the state legislature.

No, he said, he likely wasn’t going to run for secretary of state and probably would make that clear by the next campaign-finance filing in January. I told him I still remembered his awarding-winning shark ad the first time he ran for secretary of state.

The Denver Democrat died Sunday of an apparent heart attack. He was only 63 and his death stunned his family and friends. Republicans were effusive in their praise, as were his fellow Democrats. They called him a statesman and recalled his passion for the underdog.

I’ve got a zillion memories of Ken, whom I first met in 2000 when I was assigned to cover the Colorado General Assembly. Here are just a few of them:

Lobbyist Joe Neville and his attorney, former Sen. Shawn Mitchell, at an Ethics Committee hearing. Neville later walked out in protest. (Lynn Bartels, The Denver Post)

The legislature’s executive committee unanimously decided today to dismiss an ethics complaint filed against Rocky Mountain Gun Owners lobbyist Joe Neville, who last month sued the legislature in federal court because of the complaint.

Legislative leaders — four Democrats and two Republicans — said because Neville refused to participate in the investigation against him, they couldn’t determine whether he had violated Capitol rules, according to Fox’s Eli Stokols.

Rep. Cheri Gerou, R-Evergreen, filed the complaint in February after saying Neville threatened her with political retribution during a House debate on Democratic gun bills. Neville initially appeared before a specially called ethics committee, but later walked out and refused to return, saying he would no longer participate in an “unconstitutional tribunal.”

“It’s a good step, allowing gun owners all over Colorado to have their free speech rights represented at the Capitol,” Neville said after the complaint was dismissed.

But the lobbyist still faces potential penalties, although it is unclear what.

“If you want to register as a lobbyist and be a lobbyist, which means you are under a code of conduct… you have to live up to those standards,” House Speaker Mark Ferrandino, D-Denver, told the Denver Post. “I think there is a desire to see if there is another way to deal with this, but right now it is too early to say what are the next steps.”

Colorado lawmakers will gather in the coming weeks to brainstorm ideas for potential legislation to address the aftermath of the state’s deadly September floods that spanned more than a dozen counties.

“Assisting flood victims and repairing our infrastructure is a top priority for us all,” House Minority Leader Brian DelGrosso, a Republican from Loveland who will sit on the panel, said in a statement. “I am hopeful the committee will find consensus on ways we can assist flood victims, better equip Colorado to respond to future flood disasters and rebuild the infrastructure impacted by the floods as soon as possible.”

House Speaker Mark Ferrandino, a Denver Democrat, said “politics has no place in disaster relief.”

The November meeting will be the first of several that addresses ideas for what bills lawmakers should present to help flood recovery efforts. Thousands of Coloradans remain displaced from homes and the state continues to work to replace roads and bridges before winter arrives.

The committee will work with Gov. John Hickenlooper’s administration, victims, responders and disaster experts to assist those affected by the floods and try to keep the recovery on track, according to a news release from earlier this month.

Republican Michael Fields, who is running for a House seat, his wife Mele, and their son, Malakai Kahi Fields, just hours after he was born on Sept. 18. (Provided by Fields.)

A new crop of young Colorado House candidates running in open races has raked in impressive campaign donations, according to the latest filings with the secretary of state:

Michael Fields, 26, a Littleton Republican. He is running for the seat held by Rep. Spencer Swalm, who is term limited after 2014. Fields has raised $15,595 and has $,9371 cash on hand. Fields worked for Republican Ryan Frazier during his 2010 congressional race, and often was mistaken for Frazier’s son.

Alec Garnett, 30, a Denver Democrat. He is running for the seat now held by Speaker Mark Ferrandino, who is term limited after 2014. Garnett has raised $52,094 and has $47,124 cash on hand. Garnett, the former executive director of the Colorado Democratic Party, faces two primary opponents.

Jon Keyser, 32, a Morrison Republican. He is running for the seat currently held by fellow Republican Cheri Gerou of Evergreen, who hasn’t decided yet whether to seek another term in the House or run for the Senate. Keyser in just one fundraising quarter collected $13,608 in donations. Along with a $10,000 loan to the campaign, he has $21,843 cash on hand.

Faith Winter, 33, a Westminster Democrat. She is running for the seat now held by Rep. Cherilyn Peniston, who is term limited after 2014. Winter, the mayor pro tem of Westminster, had raised $30,689 and has $29,103 cash on hand.

Boulder lawmaker Claire Levy, who has played a key role in state judicial and budget issues, will resign her House seat next month to become executive director of the Colorado Center on Law and Policy.

The Denver-based research and advocacy organization promotes economic security, access to health care and sound fiscal policy, which Levy said makes it a “perfect fit” for her next career. The organization currently is doing research for a poverty task force meeting at the Colorado legislature.

Levy, a Democrat, was first elected to the House in 2006 and would have been term limited after next year. She is the speaker pro tem and serves on the Joint Budget Committee, and is a past chairwoman of the House Judiciary Committee.

“Rep. Levy is my go-to expert on countless subjects,” House Speaker Mark Ferrandino, D-Denver, said in a news release. “I can’t tell you how many times I’ve said to lawmakers and advocates, ‘Just talk to Claire. She’ll know the answer.’”

Levy’s resignation takes effect Oct. 31, and she begins her new job the next day. A vacancy committee in her House district will pick her successor.

Although she is most often referred to as a Boulder lawmaker, after the 2011 reapportionment her district was changed — much to the chagrin of some High County Republicans — to include parts of Boulder County and all of Clear Creek, Gilpin, Grand and Jackson counties.

Two Colorado Springs Republicans, Reps. Mark Waller and Bob Gardner, who also are attorneys and served with Levy on the Judiciary Committee, praised their Democratic colleague.

Joey Bunch has been a reporter for 28 years, including the last 12 at The Denver Post. For various newspapers he has covered the environment, water issues, politics, civil rights, sports and the casino industry.